'No politicking At BDF Please'

Gothataone Moeng | Monday March 10, 2014 16:50

 

Responding to minister’s question in Parliament on Friday, Seretse said the Protected Areas Act, which classifies army barracks and camps as protected areas, prohibits all political activities within protected areas. He added that the Botswana Defence Force Act and the BDF Officers Regulations prohibit political activity and the aligning of oneself, by officers, to political parties.

Seretse was responding to a question from Kanye North Kentse Rammidi, who wanted to know what the legal position is for politicians who want to canvass for votes from members of the disciplined forces.

Seretse said it was important to keep members of the defence forces apolitical and ensure that they are not aligned to any political parties.

He said it is important to ensure that no form of active partisan politics takes place within the barracks, and said there was need to be sensitive to any form of politicisation of the defence forces.

However, he said members of the forces are allowed to attend political rallies outside the army camps, as long as they do not ask questions during the rallies.

He however, said the army has a responsibility to ensure that officers are registered to vote and said registration, and the promotion of registering for elections, is excluded from activities recognised as political.